Nordic Names Blog - New Icelandic Names 2020-08

6 September 2020
In August 2020, sixteen names were submitted to the Icelandic naming committee for approval. Thirteen of them were approved and three rejected:

Female Names

• Candice: This English name was rejected, probably due to the spelling with two Cs. The initial C would be a K in Icelandic and the -ce-ending an s.
• Franka: This female form of Frank was approved.
• Josefina: Previously, only the Icelandic spelling Jósefína was allowed to use. In August, the international spelling without the Icelandic accents was approved as well.
• Kaya: This spelling with a Y was rejected. The proper Icelandic spelling is Kaja.
• Nathalia/Nathalía: Nathalía with an Icelandic í in the middle was rejected, probably because of the spelling with TH. On the other hand, the international spelling Nathalia - also with TH - was approved. What appears to be a strange decision is probably due to historical usage which can be a reason for accepting spelling variants which are not originally Icelandic.
• Sólskríkja: Originally an Icelandic vocabulary word for a snow bunting (bird), Sólskríkja was now approved as a given name as well. It literally means 'sun cryer'.
• Svaný: This new combination of SVAN and NY means 'young swan' and was approved.

Male Names

• Andres: This Nordic form of Andrew/Andreas has been used in the Nordic countries since the Middle Ages. It was now officially approved in Iceland as well.
• Elían: This is the Icelandic spelling of Elian and it was approved.
• Gáki: This is probably a pet form and it was approved. If anyone happens to know something more, please let us know.
• Heiður: This name was approved. Up to now it had only been allowed to use it as a female name.
• Mári: This Icelandic short form of Mauritius was approved. The Icelandic letter á is pronounced like 'ou' in 'house'.
• Miró: This name is a transferred use of the (Catalan?) surname of the Spanish painter, sculptor, and ceramicist Joan Miró i Ferrà and it was approved.
• Sólhrafn: This new combination of SOL and HRAFN was approved. It literally means 'sun raven'.
• Súddi: This name can be used as a pet form of different name, but most commonly of Sigurður. It was approved as a proper given name now.

See also

For more information and new Icelandic names of other months see Icelandic Approved Names.